Alcoholic Beverages

News about Alcoholic Beverages, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 9, 2015

Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield are founders of Owl's Brew, line of tea-infused cocktail mixers; sales were $400,000 in 2014 and are forecast to reach $1.7 million in 2015. MORE

Jul. 8, 2015

Plantation Pineapple Rum Stiggins’ Fancy, created by French liquor producer Maison Ferrand, is named for character Reverend Stiggins from Charles Dickens novel The Pickwick Papers; recipe for pineapple express cocktail given. MORE

Jul. 1, 2015

Cordoba Journal; Cordoba, the second-largest city in Argentina, has long boasted of reputation for rebelliousness and distinctive culture, whether in politics, music or its famous penchant for Fernet liqueur mixed with Coca-Cola; rebellious attitude is in part aimed at distinguishing itself from Buenos Aires. MORE

Jun. 21, 2015

At least 84 people die after drinking toxic liquor in Mumbai, India, slum. MORE

Jun. 20, 2015

Mumbai police say that 37 people have died after consuming toxic, illegally-produced liquor and that at least 25 have been hospitalized. MORE

Jun. 17, 2015

Florence Fabricant Front Burner column; Rebecca Applebaum, the head bartender at Casa Lever, is hosting a series of four hourlong cocktail-making classes; other food and cooking items noted. MORE

Jun. 5, 2015

Jun. 4, 2015

Taco Bell says it will serve beer, wine and 'mixed alcohol freezes' at new location in Chicago in summer 2015. MORE

Jun. 2, 2015

Buckfast Journal; Buckfast Tonic Wine, produced by Benedictine Monks in southwestern Britain, has become subject of controversy for its combination of alcohol and caffeine; popularity of drink with young people has spurred bill in Scottish Parliament that would limit caffeine content of all alcoholic beverages. MORE

May. 20, 2015

Possible variations on classic summer drink, the gin and tonic, discussed. MORE

May. 13, 2015

Many craft cocktail bars are opening in Paris, offering drinks made with French spirits, from national legacy liquors like Cognac to French vodka, gin, whiskey and rum. MORE

May. 13, 2015

Wassail is one of many bars in New York City that specialize in hard cider; offers many on draft and in bottles, from cider makers in Chile, England, France, Ireland, Spain and United States. MORE

May. 4, 2015

Undercover investigation by New York's State Liquor Authority finds that decoy minors were able to purchase alcohol at more than half of targeted pharmacies, grocery stores and liquor stores in New York City; department says it will take steps to reduce under-age alcohol consumption. MORE

May. 1, 2015

Apr. 23, 2015

Port Morris Distillery in the Bronx, which makes Puerto Rican-style liquor called pitorro, represents rise of artisanal beer and spirit industry in the borough; trend follows similar developments of industry and gentrification in Queens and Brooklyn. MORE

Apr. 19, 2015

FYI column answers questions about first movie shot on location in New York City, and highest-percentage alcohol that can be served in a city restaurant that does not have a full liquor license. MORE

Apr. 19, 2015

Rosie Schaap Drink column offers recipes for variations on the alcoholic beverage known as The Daisy. MORE

Apr. 4, 2015

Mark Phillips, whose firm Lipsmark has secured approval from Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to sell powdered alcohol known as Palcohol, finds himself on the defensive as state and federal lawmakers make efforts to ban product. MORE

Apr. 3, 2015

Former punk guitarist Mike Stankovich, who now tends bar at Alameda in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, has become known for his distinctive drinks; recipe is provided for his Spruce Goose cocktail. MORE

Mar. 25, 2015

Bars in New York City and elsewhere are expanding their selections of 'large format' drinks that can be shared among number of people. MORE

Mar. 14, 2015

Several Manhattan establishments participating in Restaurant Week will have cocktail specials that celebrate the final season of Mad Men, cable series about hard-drinking advertising industry in 1960s New York. MORE

Mar. 4, 2015

Bittermens, company based in New Orleans, offers line of Scandinavian-inspired spirits, taking its place in growing Nordic cuisine trend; recipe for boss colada cocktail given. MORE

Feb. 25, 2015

Premixed and bottled cocktails are shedding their low-brow image as small number of quality distillers are beginning to create their own. MORE

Feb. 22, 2015

Feb. 19, 2015

Number of small start-ups focus on home delivery of alcoholic beverages, service that is increasingly in demand due to large number of millenials who are of age to drink alcohol and are accustomed to ordering food for delivery on smartphones. MORE

Feb. 18, 2015

Cocktail Kingdom has republished 1917 bar manual The Ideal Bartender by Tom Bullock, first African-American to publish such a book; recipe for Gillette Cocktail given. MORE

Feb. 5, 2015

Jan. 30, 2015

Dartmouth College, seeking to address rising tide of alcohol-fueled misconduct, will ban hard liquor on campus; skeptics of plan say that other colleges are unlikely to follow suit, and that change could lead to surreptitious drinking and drunk driving as students attend off-campus parties. MORE

Jan. 25, 2015

Jan. 21, 2015

Beverage industry is rolling out a number of new products for health-conscious drinkers, including several gluten-free, low-calorie and low-alcohol options; trend follows growing discrimination among consumers, and is particularly aimed at capturing loyalty of female drinkers; new brands include Kombrucha, mixture of tea and beer that is sweetened with agave. MORE

Jan. 20, 2015

Some female college students are questioning decades-old bans on alcohol at sorority houses, as higher education grapples with wave of sexual assault allegations; argue that bans makes women socially dependent on fraternity house parties, where some evidence suggests assaults are far more likely to occur; many argue that allowing sororities to throw parties would give women more control over alcohol use and safety. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

Indian authorities say at least 23 people died and 200 others sickened after drinking contaminated liquor in state of Uttar Pradesh. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

Florence Fabricant Front Burner column notes that Saxtons River Distillery is offering three maple-based liquors as part of its Sapling line; other food items and news noted. MORE

Jan. 11, 2015

Alcohol is allowed to be sold at first College Football Playoff title game between Oregon and Ohio State; Football Bowl Subdivision is only NCAA-sanctioned group whose championship is not governed by NCAA, therefore it is allowed to make its own rules. MORE

Dec. 31, 2014

Florence Fabricant Front Burner column offers suggestions for culinary New Year's resolutions, including vow to drink rose in winter. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Light, fun cocktail that is part traditional and part new is perfect beverage for Christmas Eve; recipe for American 25, variation on French 75 cocktail, given. MORE

Dec. 7, 2014

Rosie Schaap Drink column offers recipes for cocktails made with mezcal. MORE

Dec. 1, 2014

Owners of restaurant Madiba Harlem are challenging New York state law that prohibits sale of liquor near churches. MORE

Nov. 30, 2014

Rosie Schaap Drink column offers recipes for a Brandy Alexander and The Snowball, cold drinks for winter weather. MORE

Nov. 29, 2014

Alcohol industry is booming across United States, particularly in Kentucky, fueled by growing taste for whiskey and craft beer, and changes to regulations and tax policies; Distilled Spirits Council reports that spirits revenue nationwide, from all alcohol except beer and wine, increased to over $60 billion in 2013 from roughly half that in 2000; exports of spirits, much of it whiskey, have increased to nearly $1.5 billion from $531 million. MORE

Nov. 20, 2014

Neil Genzlinger examines new crop of alcohol-themed television shows and specials that seem aimed at reclaiming attention that has recently been showered on marijuana. MORE

Nov. 12, 2014

Brandy, which has struggled to gain foothold in cocktail culture revival, is being adopted by some bartenders; recipe for whist cocktail given. MORE

Nov. 10, 2014

Voters in Bridgewater, Conn, agree overwhelmingly to strike down the town’s long-held ban on the sale of alcohol; it was last dry town in Connecticut since the adoption of Prohibition almost a century ago. MORE

Nov. 9, 2014

Nov. 2, 2014

Lazy Eye Distillery in Buena Vista Township, Cooper River Distillers in Camden and Jersey Artisan Distilling in Fairfield are part of wave of new businesses opening following change in New Jersey's distilling law; establishments offer visitors chance to taste and buy locally produced spirits (Metropolitan/New Jersey). MORE